“The night itself felt alive,” said Ibrahim Poulos of the event he recently helped coordinate, 1001 Nights. Poulos is a third-year JD student and Co-President of the Middle Eastern and North African Law Students’ Association (MENALSA).
“We wanted to create something that felt joyful and familiar. Law school can be intense and very structured, and we wanted one night that felt warm and celebratory.”
The special sights, sounds and scents of 1001 Nights ensured that it did not feel like a typical law school event. Poulos has been involved in the organization of this event since his first year of law school, when he was MENALSA’s 1L representative.
“Watching the event grow over the years and seeing how much people genuinely enjoy it made me feel proud,” he said.
More than 60 student organizations and associations are based in Fauteux Hall. Some are interest-based while others are cultural, but all of them give law students an opportunity to build community, to learn and to grow. MENALSA’s annual 1001 Nights celebration is rooted in community-building, mentorship, and representation within the legal profession.
Community built with purpose
Founded in October 2023, MENALSA is still a relatively new student association, but its impact has been immediate and meaningful. The organization was created to respond to a gap felt by many students navigating law school without a strong cultural support network.
Alum Ali Zankar, JD ‘24, explains why he was motivated to co-found and become the first Co-President of MENALSA:
“We wanted to be a resource and create an environment for upcoming Middle Eastern and North African students so that we could start building a stronger sense of community within the bar and advocate for each other.”
Building on earlier efforts of its predecessor, the Middle Eastern Law Students’ Association (MELSA), MENALSA has grown into a vibrant and inclusive group, now bringing together approximately 60 active student members each year, alongside a broader network of alumni and legal professionals.
Creating space to belong and to succeed
MENALSA’s other Co-President, Joudy Azrak, 3L, says that it is important for students to feel that they can bring their full identities into academic spaces.
“Law school is a very demanding environment,” she says. “When students feel like they need to leave parts of themselves at the door just to belong, it adds an extra layer of difficulty. When you don’t have to do that, you just… learn better. You contribute more. And honestly, the classroom is richer for it too.”
Azrak, who came to Canada as a Syrian refugee, emphasized that cultural visibility is not just about celebration, it directly shapes students’ confidence and success.
“It tells you that you belong here, not in spite of where you come from but including it,” she said. “When a club or even an event reminds you that your particular background and perspective is actually worth something here, it gives you the confidence to speak up, to take up space, to actually go after things.”
From first connections to lasting community
Both Poulos and Azrak have been involved in MENALSA since the beginning, when they were both in their first year. They will graduate this June, and they say they are proud of the association's growth and to have helped build a sense of belonging at Fauteux Hall.
“I have seen first-year students walk into their first MENALSA event a little unsure, and by the end of the night they are exchanging numbers and planning to study together,” said Poulos.
“Being involved since 1L gave me a consistent community throughout law school,” he adds. “It has made law school feel smaller and more supportive.”
That sense of continuity is part of what makes MENALSA distinctive: it is not just a series of events, but an evolving support network that accompanies students throughout their legal education.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is our Annual Networking Mixer,” said Azrak, of another one of MENALSA’s flagship events, which was held on March 27.
“We welcomed MENA lawyers from different practice areas and firms to network with our students,” she explains. “The event gives students the opportunity to ask about career paths, about recruitment, about what it’s actually like to navigate this profession as someone from the MENA community.”
In addition to the mixer, MENALSA runs a mentorship program that pairs students with MENA legal professionals, offering sustained, one-on-one guidance throughout the academic year.
Together, these initiatives help ensure that students not only feel a sense of belonging but also see themselves reflected in the profession they are preparing to enter.
A growing presence at uOttawa Law
In just three years, MENALSA has established itself as a vital part of the Faculty’s student community, one that reflects the values of inclusion, collaboration, and excellence.
“Congratulations to the student leaders who recognized the need for this community and, over the past three years, have built the Middle Eastern and North African Law Students' Association, uOttawa Chapter, into a vibrant and growing organization,” said Dean Kristen Boon, who spoke at the Networking Mixer. “We are proud of what you have created.”
Here at FTX, organizations like MENALSA demonstrate that when students are empowered to bring their full identities into the classroom and beyond, they do more than succeed; they help shape a stronger, more inclusive legal profession.